Durant has jersey retired at halftime of UT-Tech game

Published 6:30 am, Wednesday, February 25, 2009

“I was only here for one year,” Durant said Wednesday, “but I think I’ll bleed orange for the rest of my life.”

Now his jersey will be orange for that long, too. In a ceremony at halftime of the Longhorns’ game against Texas Tech, Durant became the third basketball player to have his uniform number retired by UT.

UT has a policy of retiring jerseys of all athletes honored as national player of the year. Durant, now in his second NBA season, was the consensus winner of that award as a freshman in 2006-’07.

After his jersey was unveiled and a montage of his highlights were played at halftime Wednesday, Durant wiped tears away from his eyes and thanked the crowd before flashing a “Hook ‘em Horns” sign.

Photo: Erich Schlegel, AP

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Former Texas basketball player and 2006-2007 National Player of the Year Kevin Durant gestures during a halftime ceremony in which Texas officially retired Durant's No. 35 jersey on Wednesday in Austin. Durant now plays for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder. less

Former Texas basketball player and 2006-2007 National Player of the Year Kevin Durant gestures during a halftime ceremony in which Texas officially retired Durant's No. 35 jersey on Wednesday in Austin. Durant ... more